1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for building a sequence of tyres different from each other.
More particularly, the invention is addressed to the method and equipment used in the field of building a sequence of tyres different from each other, for manufacturing components being part of the tyre in progress of manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tyre for vehicle wheels generally comprises a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply having respectively opposite end flaps in engagement with respective annular anchoring structures integrated into the regions usually identified as “beads”, defining the radially internal circumferential edges of the tyre.
Associated with the carcass structure is a belt structure including one or more belt layers, placed in radially superposed relationship relative to each other and to the carcass ply, having textile or metallic reinforcing cords of crossed orientation and/or substantially parallel to the circumferential extension direction of the tyre. Applied at a radially external position is a tread band also made of elastomeric material like other semimanufactured products constituting the tyre.
Respective sidewalls of elastomeric material are further applied at an axially external position, to the side surfaces of the carcass structure, each extending from one of the side edges of the tread band until close to the respective annular anchoring structure to the beads. In tyres of the “tubeless” type, an airtight coating layer, usually referred to as “liner” covers the inner tyre surfaces.
To the aims of the present specification and the following claims, by “reversible quick fit” it is intended a removable connection that can be quickly activated and deactivated by a restricted number of manually and/or automatically performed actions. Preferably, it is a device selectively operating between an active configuration and a passive configuration, more preferably following the action of moving two elements to be connected close to each other.
To the aims of the present specification and the following claims, by “snap-fit device” it is intended a device that is intrinsically stimulated to take an active configuration in which coupling of two or more components can take place. Preferably, it is a device that is elastically stimulated to take an active configuration and more preferably that is suitable to at least move from a passive configuration to an active configuration following the action of moving two elements to be connected close to each other.
To the aims of the present specification and the following claims, the term “strip-like element” means an elongated manufactured product cut to size, which has a cross-section outline of flattened conformation and comprises one or more cords of textile and/or metallic material extending parallel to the longitudinal extension of the strip-like element itself and embedded in, or at least partly coated with at least one layer of elastomeric material.
To the aims of the present specification and the following claims, the term “component” of a tyre is understood as indicating the assembly of one or more components or any portion or combination of same, adapted to perform a function in the tyre, selected for example from: liner, under-liner, carcass ply/plies, under-belt insert, belt strips both crossed with each other and at zero degrees, attachment skim coat for the tread band, tread band, bead core, bead filler, textile reinforcing inserts made of metal or of elastomeric material alone, abrasion-proof insert, sidewall inserts.